Suggested by: CaRoLiNe from Quotev

18

Zeref stood outside the Fairy Tail guildhall while hidden under a cloaking spell. It was a chilly evening, but he ignored the cold breeze and watched his little brother interact with his friends.

Tomorrow was the due date for Zeref's next curse, but he had yet to figure out what to do. Natsu argued with his friend, Gray, but Zeref had already done something with that. It brought a smile to the dark wizard's lips, remembering Natsu freaking out about gaining Gray's stripping habit. He should do something similar again.

"Hey, Gramps! Why'd you stop us?!" Zeref snapped his head up when he heard Natsu's voice. He looked through the clear, clean window of the guild, watching as Natsu approached the little old master of Fairy Tail.

'Did Natsu call Makarov Dreyar: Gramps?' Zeref thought as he felt insulted for the little man, even if Makarov didn't seem to mind being called old. Zeref knew that many elders would feel insulted or furious at being called old, so he had a day in his county designed to respect and care for the elderly. 'Natsu needs to learn to respect those older than him.' The black wizard ignored the fact that Natsu was born 400 years ago, making him older by magic law standers, but his mind was that of a teenager, and that's what mattered. Pause!

A smirk of pure evil spread across Zeref's face like a fire on a wooden house. 'I have the perfect curse for you, Natsu dear. I think it's time you act your age.' With a dark, anonymous chuckle, Zeref left to prepare his curse.

Natsu entered the guild hall the next day after he and Gray went overboard, forcing Master to stop them. Makarov had punished them for wrecking the tables; Natsu and Gray had to clean up the ash and wood and replace all the tables and chairs with their own money. It wasn't the worse punishment his master could come up with, but it did empty Natsu's wallet. So he went to the request board looking for a good-paying job.

Natsu made numerous faces at the different jobs assigned on the board today. None of the requests were his style. One was an undercover mission: he would have to dress like a girl and lure in some perverts to capture and hand over to the authorities; another job asked for guarding some stuck-up noble, and next to that request was asking to help look for a cat. The only promising request that was more his style was to help put out fires.

'Putting out fires is so boring, though…' Natsu thought with an internal groan as the guild doors opened behind him.

"Excuse me! I have a job request!" Natsu's ears perked up when he heard the last two words. He turned to see an elderly man dressed like a scholar standing by the entrance.

"Over here!" Makarov waved by the bar, catching the man's attention. Natsu watched as the elder strolled over to Fairy Tail's master. "What is the job about?" asked Makarov.

The old man handed the request paper to the master, who gazed at it with hawk-like eyes. The scholar shifted and asked, "I also have to ask if there is a young man here named Natsu?"

Makarov lifted his eyes from the paper to the client. "There is, but he wouldn't be a good choice for your request. A translation job would best be handled by Lucy or Levi," replied Makarov.

Natsu felt disappointed. He hoped the job would be more up his alley, but he guessed not.

The client shook his head. "It's not about the job," he said. "I have something for him." Natsu wondered what it could be but knew he didn't have to wait long. Makarov called him over, and Natsu walked over with quick steps.

"What is it you have for me, gramps?" Natsu asked with a cheery grin. The scholar's eyebrow twitched, but other than that, he showed no signs of irritation.

The older man held his hand out to shake. "I'm Robert Hans, a scholar from Crocus Library," he said while Natsu took his hand. "On my way here with my request, a young man stopped me and asked to give you this." In Robert's other hand was a small slip of paper, causing dread to enter Natsu's heart. Natsu opened the folded paper and read it.

When you shook hands with the man who gave you this note, you will become an elder. The side effects are unknown, but the curse will end at midnight, like always. -Zeref

Natsu felt his eye threaten to pop out of his skull. He prayed this was wrong, but he heard gasps of shock from his guildmates and feared the worst. He looked up at Robert, who stared at him in astonishment. Natsu didn't want to but looked down at his hands anyway. The skin on his hands was thin and loose, allowing the veins to show vibrantly. Natsu's arms were the same, as were his legs. He touched his face and felt the countless wrinkles there too. Horror. All Natsu felt was pure horror. He had been turned into an old man!

As fast as he could, Natsu gripped Robert by the collar of his shirt. "WHO GAVE YOU THE NOTE!?" he demanded but froze as a sharp pain shot up his spine. He bent over while pressing a hand on his lower back, groaning as the pain turned from stabbing to feeling like he was hit by a train, which then carried him across the continent.

Happy flew closer to Natsu and hovered next to him. "Are you okay, Natsu?" he asked.

"No, I'm not," Natsu hissed. "I've been cursed again by that jerk, but he didn't know the side effects of this one!"

"If that's the case, Natsu, then this must be what you will have to look forward to when you grow older," said Lucy, who gave him a pitied look.

"I'm going to kill him…" growled Natsu, turning his dragon-like eyes back to the scholar. "Who gave you the note?" he said like he was talking to someone who didn't speak his language.

Robert gulped nervously but answered, "It was a young man about your former age with black hair and eyes. He wore all black except the white toga wrapped around his upper body. I sware I didn't know this would happen!"

"That was definitely Zeref," said Gray with a smirk.

"It was who?!" Robert questioned in fear and shock, making Natsu roll his eyes.

"Alright, all of you, calm down!" ordered Makarov. "Levi, will you take Robert Hans' job?" Levi nodded, accepting the job. "Good. Make sure you return safely."

Levi smiled joyfully. "Don't worry, I will." She and Robert left the guild hall after she grabbed a few books.

Natsu had sat down while the two bookworms were getting ready for their journey, which Makarov noticed and asked if he was okay. Natsu lifted his head from the cold counter with a confused expression.

"What'd you say?" he asked.

"I asked if you were okay?" Makarov said louder with a raised eyebrow. He looked to be thinking of something else, but Natsu wasn't sure what that was.

"My back is better, but I feel tired suddenly."

Makarov shrugged his shoulders. "That's what happens when you get old. Your body doesn't work as it used to."

Natsu felt nervous. He heard what his master said, but his voice wasn't as sharp and clear as it was. He decided to not say anything for now. "I'm going to hate this," the old dragon slayer said.

As the day dragged by, Natsu confirmed he was hard of hearing. Wendy asked how he was doing, but she said it in her soft-spoken voice. The sound was muffled like someone had placed cotton balls into his ears. It freaked him out. He was used to being able to hear people from miles away, but now he could hardly hear someone standing next to him.

Natsu also found another side effect of the curse. He was asking for food, but it wasn't as much as he usually ate, but that wasn't the problem. He forgot what he was ordering. He asked for chicken twice and beef three times, and they weren't back to back. He would ask the same questions, too, at different times. He had asked Happy what he planned to do today, but Happy said, "I already told you, Natsu. I was going to go with you to your job, but now I plan on catching some fish. Are you feeling okay?"

Happy wasn't the only one he asked the same questions to. Natsu was beginning to freak out, so he asked Makarov what was happening, which was another question he kept asking.

"You have slight memory loss, Natsu. I said this to you five times now," Makarov replied, much to Natsu's horror, but forgetfulness wasn't the worst side effect.

Natsu was drinking some water when he felt he needed the bathroom. As he was getting up, Erza asked him how he was doing. Forgetful or not, Natsu was becoming annoyed with how many times he was asked this question.

"I'm doing okay, but I need to…." Natsu trailed off, not remembering where he needed to go.

"Ew, dude!" yelled Gajeel. "This isn't the bathroom, you flame head!" Natsu was about to retort but stopped when he processed his words and became mortified.

"Wh-where's the bathroom again?" he asked Erza, who was looking at him with pity. She guided him there, much to his dismay. He questioned how this happened again and faintly remembered a black-haired mage with a white toga. "I'm going to kill him."

Zeref was giggling like a mad clown as he watched Natsu struggle. 'I bet he will respect old people now.'

Thank you, CaRoLiNe, for this great idea. I hope I did it justice. ;)

Zeref: Have you seen Natsu?

Enj/Dark: He's hiding somewhere. I'm sure he'll come out when he's hungry.

Zeref: Too much for him? :)

Enj/Dark: I'd say so, especially that last one.

Zeref: Well then. Please leave more suggestions for us to prank Natsu with.

Enj/Dark: Also, please review! ;P